Tag: Yellowfin Tuna

Yellowfin Tuna Species Guide and Yellowtail Tuna

Yellowfin Tuna Species Guide and Yellowtail Tuna

Species Highlight – Yellowfin Tuna – Picture from oceanbluefishing.com

Yellowfin Tuna (also known as Thunnus albacares or “Ahi” in Hawaiia) is a species of tuna that is deep blue on top with a shallow yellow line in the middle of their body going to the tail. Their fins are also yellowish in color. Yellowfin is one of the larger tuna species and very tasty.

Yellowfin tuna have the potential of reaching up to a weight of 400lbs or 180kg. They are mainly found in the warmer offshore waters such as Gulf of Meixco, Hawaii, Caribbean, Eastern and Western Pacific.

Yellowfin tuna group together in enormous schools and can be seen feeding as they break the surface chasing after bait. Like other Tuna species they eat a large number of different bait fish like sardines and mackerel, squid, and even small pelagic crabs. 

Yellowfin tuna are strong fighters. Like all tuna they pull hard for their size, and as mentioned above, they can get quite large.  They almost never jump when hooked, instead swim in large circles making it a long process to get them in the boat.  They are a great gamefish and a pleasure to catch. As a bonus, they are also great to eat. 

Difference between Yellowfin and Yellowtail Tuna

Yellowfin vs Yellowtail Tuna

Yellowfin tuna and Yellowtail tuna are both species of fish that belong to the same family, Scombridae, but they are different species. Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a species of tuna that is found in the open waters of the tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide, while yellowtail tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a species of tuna that is found primarily in the waters off the coast of Japan and Australia.

Yellowfin tuna is a large fish that can grow up to 6.5 feet in length and weigh up to 440 pounds. It has a metallic blue-black back and upper sides with a silver belly and bright longer yellow fins. Yellowtail tuna, on the other hand, is a medium-sized fish that can grow up to 6 feet in length and weigh up to 110 pounds. It has a dark blue back and upper sides with a silver belly and smaller yellow fins. The two species can be distinguished by the size, color, and location of the yellow fins. Yellowfin tuna has yellow fins that are located at the top of its body and are longer, while yellowtail tuna has yellow fins that are located at the bottom of its body and are smaller.

Yellowfin tuna is considered to have a stronger flavor and firmer texture than yellowtail tuna. Yellowfin tuna is often used for sashimi and sushi, while yellowtail tuna is often grilled or served as sashimi. Yellowtail tuna is considered to be a good choice for grilling or cooking because of its milder flavor and softer texture. It is also considered to be a good choice for raw fish dishes because of its softer texture and milder flavor.

Specific details on How to Catch Yellowfin Tuna

Check out other species of tuna.

How to Catch Yellowfin Tuna Trolling

How to Catch Yellowfin Tuna Trolling

Catching Yellowfin Tuna Trolling

Yellowfin Tuna, also known as Thunnus albacares, is a species of tuna that is deep blue on top, has a shallow yellow line all the way to the tail in the middle and their fins are yellowish color. Yellowfin is one of the larger tuna species with the potential of reaching up to a weight of 180 kg. They are mainly found in the offshore waters such as Gulf of Meixco, Hawaii, Caribbean, Eastern and Western Pacific.

Trolling for Yellowfin Tuna

Yellowfin Tuna usually travel in large schools to the surface during feeding time. They are boat shy and will quickly dive deep into the water when they see a boat approaching. Therefore, upon spotting the school of tuna from afar, you must not steer your boat fast toward them otherwise they will swim away. The strategy to catching tuna is to stop your boat a distance away from the fish for example, 3 knots away.  Then, you can put out your fishing line and let the bait float itself to where the school of tuna is.

When you stop your boat, the engine stops producing noises and the fish will be more bold to swim near your boat. Parking your boat a distance away prevents the tuna from associating the bait comes from your boat. Hiring a big fishing charter will give you a better fishing experience. When you reel in the fish, the fish will jump and flip and you will have fight the fish until it is dead. If your fishing charter is small and there is not enough room, you may accidentally step on your expensive fishing rig or even fall out of the boat.

Learn more about the Yellowfin Tuna Species

Ideally, your fishing charter should be large enough to set up 6 – 7 flush mount or vertical fishing rods. The more fishing rods you set up, the higher the chance of catching the tuna. After you stop the boat afar, you just wait patiently. You may have to wait up to 7- 8 hours for the first bite but it is worth the wait. While waiting, you must stay alert and quickly pull in the rod when you sense something bites. It is important to always wear thick buckskin glove when pulling in the rod. It will protect the skin on your palm and finger from callouses as you need a lot of strength to pull in the rod.

Cedar Plugs Tuna Fishing Lures

It is best to go fishing for yellowfin tuna with 1 or 2 partners as they can give you additional hands in catching the fish. For example, your partner can help with storing the rod in a cabin space or help you in getting the fish into the boat. Lures like tuna feathers, cedar plugs, chain, joeschutes and sterling bars can be used. For catching yellowfin tuna, the boat should be trolling at the speed of 5 – 8 knots. You can adjust your boat speed according to the behavior of the lure. Rougher seas mean you have to troll at a slower speed to enable the lure to work the most efficiently.

Stay tuned for more tips and tricks on How To Catch Tuna.